1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high-availability computing and more particularly to cluster node configuration in a high-availability computing architecture.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cluster domain node is an element in a cluster domain. A cluster node can be either a physical element such as a server instance, or a virtual element such as a software module instance. Two or more servers can appear in a peer domain cluster, functioning as master and standby nodes. Similarly, two or more software module instances can execute in a management server domain cluster as redundancy nodes. In either case, the maximum number of cluster domain nodes permitted to run in a cluster domain depends upon the clustering technology used, but can vary significantly from one clustering technology to another, and can range anywhere from two nodes to many thousands of nodes.
After provisioning a new cluster domain node, additional configuration tasks must be performed before the newly provisioned node can be started. For example, configuration tasks can include editing the cluster domain node properties, adding resources to the cluster domain node, grouping resources, and so on. Commercially, provisioning managers can provide a set of logical device operations that can be used to perform cluster domain node configuration tasks including a set of workflows that implement the requisite logical device operations. To support the partial automation of configuration tasks, workflows must implement appropriate logical device operations, and the relevant workflows must be assigned to the appropriate cluster domain nodes. In particular, for cluster domain nodes, the requisite workflows must be assigned for adding and removing cluster domain nodes, creating resource groups, and starting and stopping cluster domain nodes.
Generally, provisioning tools provide access through an integrated user interface to manually provisioning additional nodes to cluster domains, de-provisioning nodes from cluster domains, editing cluster domain node properties, starting nodes and stopping nodes. In respect particularly to adding nodes, current procedures for adding nodes to a cluster or for replacing nodes in a cluster generally involve a number of manual interactions. For many of the required manual interactions, an administrator must be physically present in proximity to the new or serviced system to perform local tasks. Alternatively, local personnel can perform the manual tasks in proximity to the new or serviced system on behalf of the administrator.
Generally, to activate a new, un-configured node in a cluster, systems management software first must be configured with information descriptive of the un-configured node. Thereafter, the node must be physically installed onto the environment and powered on. After a period of elapsed time, the administrator must manually request a key to be gathered from all nodes in the cluster for the purpose of dynamically assigning Internet protocol (IP) addresses through the dynamic host control protocol (DHCP). In the most typical circumstance, a hardware or adapter address such as a media access control (MAC) address or a universally unique identifier (UUID) can be used as the key for each node. In either case, once the acquisition of the keys can be manually confirmed by an administrator, the administrator must manually reset the system from a location local to the system in that the systems management controller is not yet configured. The newly added node then can be booted into the environment where the systems management controller can be configured, albeit remotely.